Sanballatt and Gesham sent me a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: "I am doing a great work! I cannot stop to come and meet with you."
Nehemiah 6:2-3
Nehemiah was heart broken, and mourned for the people of Judah when he heard about the peril Jerusalem was in. The walls were torn down and the gates had been burned. The city was in disarray and the people were no better. They had lost all organization and the things that made their city great had been stripped when the walls were torn down many years earlier. Through weeping, prayer and fasting, he came up with a plan to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall. Three days after Nehemiah had arrived in Jerusalem, he went out and studied the damage for himself. He shared his plan with the religious and political leaders, officials and others in the administration. They were all supportive and excited to get started. All but a few men, Sanballat, Tobiah and Gesham, they scoffed contemptuously (Nehemiah 2:19) This was the first of 10 times that Nehemiah ran into opposition from these men who wanted him to fail at rebuilding the walls. They ridiculed him saying he could never get the walls rebuilt because the damage was too extensive. They tried to beat him down and make his task look impossible before he ever started. They also said he would get into trouble with the king, unknowing that Nehemiah already had permission from the king.
So the work began and people were joining together to rebuild the gates and walls of the city. Sanballat and Tobiah again started mocking the Jews who were working on the wall. Instead of getting angry at them and instead of fighting back, Nehemiah prayed to God and continued the work. After the walls were halfway completed there was more opposition by the two men and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashodites. They all became furious and made plans to fight against Jerusalem and cause confusion there to stop the rebuilding. Again, Nehemiah prayed to God and made plans to guard the city and protect themselves. Some of the Jews began to worry about this opposition but Nehemiah stood his ground and stayed focused on the task at hand. He trusted God to protect them. Soon the walls were completely finished! With just the gates and doors to hang Nehemiah received a message from Sanballat and Gesham asking Him to come meet with them but Nehemiah knew it was a trap and he refused. His reason for refusal was that he was doing a great work for God and that he could not stop. (Nehemiah 6:2-3 above). Four more times they sent that same message, and Nehemiah gave the same reply each time. Then a fifth time! Only this time they were getting desperate and attacked Nehemiah's character. Personal attacks hurt and when someone is lying about you it is hard to stand your ground and not be despaired. Nehemiah did not fight back to save his reputation and he continued to trust God to help them finish the work. He was able to overlook the attacks and unjust insults. And he prayed for strength to continue the work (Nehemiah 6:9). One more time the men tried to break Nehemiah's resolve by hiring his friend to intimidate him and again he saw that it was a trick. Their plan to accuse and discredit Nehemiah did not work and after just 52 days the walls were completely restored! The doors and gates had been hung and the people were finished! What a miracle it was that after just 52 days Nehemiah's plan had succeeded and the people of Jerusalem were safe in their city once again.
You might wonder where I am going with this long explanation of Nehemiah and maybe I didn't need to mention so much detail but I found it so fascinating how many times people tried to stop God's work and that every time they failed. Nehemiah trusted God so strongly that he could ignore the 10 or more attempts to stop the rebuilding. He had a huge task at hand and after a few days in I am sure I would have looked a the bigger mess I created and would have given up after I was attacked and ridiculed for what I was trying to accomplish. I want faith like Nehemiah to stand up against the opposition. I want to to continue the work God has given me even when people around me don't agree and wish to see me fail. When I get criticized for things that are untrue I want to stand strong, completely confident that God will rescue me and help me succeed. Like Nehemiah I want to trust and pray when things get difficult instead of giving up and stopping my work!
Dear friends, are you able to meet opposition with strength and trust in God? Can you continue praying in public even when someone gives you that look or can you keep going to church when your friends or family try to talk you into sleeping in? Are you able to keep fighting for God's cause when people are attacking your motives and character? It can't be easy and I'm afraid to think of all the times I have given up after just a small amount of opposition. But we must keep working! We must continue doing God's work even when it is hard. Even when the task is hard and seems impossible we must stay in touch with God, praying and trusting that He is helping us succeed.
Dear God, help me to be strong like Nehemiah. When opposition arrises make me stand strong for You. Help me to stay devoted to Your teachings and commands when others around me don't understand and try to change my mind. I trust You. Your name is on the line, help me to succeed in your work. In Jesus' Name amen
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